Before lying down, Chibs spread the blankets back out. Aoife watched him sleepily, her body visibly more relaxed than when he'd come in. He reached for the bottom hem of his t-shirt and stopped. They were still on the mend. "Just my boxers alright, lass, or do you want me to wear more?"

"Boxers are fine. I already took the liberty of borrowing a pair and one of your shirts," she yawned. He pulled the shirt over his head and leaned over to flip off the light.

"What's that new tattoo?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows and peering at his upper chest. Her eyes went wide and her mouth formed a small "o" as she looked closer. "Is that St. Brigid's cross?"

"Aye." He inclined his chest forward and popped his shoulder back so that she could see the new ink just above his heart. He sucked in his breath, awaiting her reaction. Brigid of Kildare was his lass' saint – Aoife was born just after the saint's feast day and bore Brigid as her middle name. Aoife wore the saint's symbol not only around her neck, but tattooed on her ankle. He'd asked Hap to nestle the tattoo for his old lady in the quadrant of unmarked flesh created by the edge of the dollar bill on his upper chest and the letters of Kerrianne's name, but that had been before the call from Fiona. Aoife stared for a long time before he cleared his throat and explained hoarsely, "I got it for you."

"When?" she asked.

"Day after you said you'd be my old lady. I wanted something of you with me, always. Close to my heart, as it were." Aoife reached out a shaky hand and traced the lines of the cross with a finger. When she had finished, she pressed her palm to his chest. Her eyes were closed now, and Chibs thought she looked like she was praying. He brought his hand down on top of hers and felt that she was still trembling. "You alright, lass?"

She nodded even as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. Then she echoed her aunt's and Gemma's words to him. "You need to fix this, Filip. Every fiber of my being wants to be with you, but keeping secrets from me…you broke my heart."

"I know." He brought his other hand to cover hers as well. "I am so sorry. I won't do it again. If you give me a chance, I'll do right by you this time." His eyes were wet with tears as he kissed her hairline and then brought his forehead to rest gently against hers.

Aoife woke on her side with Chibs molded to her back. His arm was clutched around her, clenched fist pressed between her clothed breasts, pulling her tight to him. She could feel his chin on her shoulder, and she was all too aware of the heat of his muscled body against her back. She wanted him right where he was, but her wounded heart cautioned her to slow down, to pull away. She listened to his steady breath and thought about everything that had happened since they'd met. Throwing caution to the wind, she pushed his arm away enough to roll over and bring herself face to face with him. Chibs shifted in his sleep and his arm fell across her side, his calloused hand warming her skin where her shirt had slid up. Aoife's fingertips traced the lines of his face and then the scars that marred his cheeks, slicing through the dimples that otherwise would have made her think of a mischievous boy when he smiled. She wondered about what it meant to bear those cuts always, a constant, visible reminder of what he had lost in his life. Her fingertips trailed down his neck to his chest, stopping on the new tattoo, the black lines and shading that marked her forever on his flesh. He had kept his wife a secret from her, but he had branded himself as Aoife's without hesitation, without waiting to see if she was going get her crow. He had risked himself to keep her and her aunt and mother safe more than once, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt without him voicing it that that he had killed for her last night.

Her cell phone snapped her out of her reverie. "Hello?" she answered as she slipped out from under the covers. She kept her voice low as she stepped into the hall.

"Ms. McIntyre?"

"This is she."

"This is Sgt. Miller with the fire department. I wanted to let you know that the clean-up on your shop is done and you are cleared to return."

"That's wonderful. Thank you!"

Aoife looked at the clock – it was ten o'clock. She had a good, solid night's sleep, but Chibs hadn't settled in until nearly 4:30. She gathered up her things and changed into the clothes Gemma had borrowed from one of the crow eaters for her. She scribbled a quick note for Chibs and pressed her lips to his before going out to drive herself home in her repaired car.

As she passed one of the guest rooms, Happy exited and slung a duffel bag over his shoulder. He gave her a nod of greeting.

She cleared her throat. "Morning, Happy." He turned his hard eyes to her, surprised she had spoken. "Thank you. For what you did last night."

"Anything for a brother's old lady," Happy rasped, and his eyes warmed a degree.

"You're a tattoo artist, aye? Do you have a minute?"

"Yep," Happy confirmed with a curt dip of his chin. "I need to head out today, but I've got some time."

Aoife was waiting to pull out of the parking lot, her car stereo turned up loud while Shane MacGowan belted out "If I Should Fall From Grace with God." She glanced left, then right, and was started by a knock on the doorframe. She looked left again and found Agent Stahl lounging against the car, leaning inside the open window. "Ms. McIntyre," the ATF agent greeted her. "I didn't see you come into the garage this morning."

"Agent Stahl," Aoife glanced up, her smile leaving her face. She turned down her music and glared at the woman.

"So, how did you get here this morning?"

"Friend dropped me off at the back of the lot. I guess you just didn't see me," Aoife lied coolly.

"I heard someone set fire to your coffee shop last night. You think that has anything to do with the MC?"

"I don't see how it possibly could. And speaking of my shop, I really need to get over there and assess the damage from the fire. If you'll excuse me, Agent Stahl." Aoife didn't wait for a parting shot from Stahl. She just rolled up the window, turned up the music, and turned right out of Teller-Morrow rather than waiting longer to turn left.

Chibs finally rolled over at just after 2 pm and groaned as the sunlight hit him in the face. "Fuck," he muttered to himself. "I'm getting too old for this staying up all night shit." He reached over for his cell phone and found a slip of paper inside with a note from Aoife. He read it aloud to himself. "Filip, the fire department called to say I could come to the shop. I didn't want to wake you after you were up so late last night. Love, Aoife."

Laying back on the pillow and closing his eyes, he hit her speed dial on his phone. After two rings, she answered cheerfully. "Afternoon, my sweet!"

"Sweetheart," Filip scolded with a tease in his voice. "I woke up without you in my arms. I'm cold and lonely here, love." She chuckled, and he relished the warm, rich sound of her laughter. She sounded happier and more relaxed than she'd been in weeks.

"Poor baby," she teased back. 'I'm glad you caught me. I was just heading out. The fire department cleaned up the accelerant, but the whole place stinks between their solvent and the smoke. I had to call in a professional to see what we can salvage and what needs to be replaced. Thank the Lord for fire insurance."

"Indeed. I'm glad you're not going to have to pay for all this out of your own pocket, love. So what are you going to do while they clean?"

"I won't be able to open tomorrow either, so I'm going to take advantage of the enforced downtime to get away for a night. I wrangled a key to one of Rois' friend's beach houses. I'm going to do some shopping on way for the redecoration, and then there's a great used book store Rois took me to when I visited her as a teenager." She spoke fast, excited about the redecorating and the unexpected day off. "I could use a day of quiet."

He started to protest, but with the Finnbar situation under control, he couldn't give a good reason she shouldn't go. She worked too damn hard in his opinion. "I'll miss you while you're gone. Promise you'll text me so I know you're alright?"

"Of course, my sweet," Aoife said. She paused, and Chibs waited. "Kind of wish you could go with me," she confessed.

"God, me, too, lass. Me, too." In his head, he cursed the shit going on with the ATF.

When he finally hung up the phone, Chibs pulled on a pair of jeans and his cut and walked to the kitchen in search of coffee. The brown liquid in the pot was hours old and cold, so he settled for a beer. On his way back to his room with a bottle in his hand, he bumped shoulders with Happy emerging from the guest room with his tattoo bag.

"Hap," Chibs greeted his brother. "Thought you'd be long gone by this time."

Happy shrugged. "I'm getting a later start than I planned, but Lee said what he needed me for got pushed back. I'll probably stop off tonight in Rogue River and then finish the trip in the AM."

"I'm pretty sure Aoife liked the ink."

Happy nodded and smirked. "Good to hear."

"Thank you for that, brother. And last night."

The Tacoma Killer clapped his hand on Chib's shoulder. "Anything for a brother and his old lady."